Closing the part and bridging the gap – Propecia for women
It may be the 21st century but for women, even in this day and age, there seem to be so many unfair biological downsides that one can’t help feeling bitterness toward Eve for picking that apple. But with the help of science, we’re slowly discovering ways to balance the scale.
Take the issue of hair loss for example. Sure, men have an 50 percent chance of inheriting male pattern hair loss compared to roughly 40 percent of women experiencing female pattern hair loss, but as far as treatment is concerned, there are more options available to men.
Presently only two treatments for hair loss are FDA approved but only one of those is suitable for women. However, research is beginning to see a silver lining. According to a study by the University of Bologna, finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia) may improve female pattern hair loss – and be safe – when combined with oral contraceptives.
The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence have not yet licensed Propecia for women’s use because it can cause malformation in male fetuses. Due to this concern, clinical trials of finasteride as a treatment for female pattern hair loss were originally restricted to post menopausal women. One study that evaluated the use of finasteride in postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia (inherited, female pattern hair loss) found that finasteride did not improve hair loss. This is surprising considering the efficacy of Propecia in male pattern hair loss. The more recent study, however, tested finasteride with pre-menopausal women with androgenetic alopecia while taking an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. Results found 62 percent of the women experienced some improvement but it is still unclear whether the success was due to a higher dosage of finasteride (2.5 mg instead of 1 mg which is issued to men) or to its association with the oral contraceptive containing drospirenone, similar to the natural hormone progesterone, which has an anti-androgenic effect. In other words, it blocks male hormones such as testosterone but the interesting thing is studies have revealed that drospirenone has an anti-androgenic potency five to 10 times greater than progesterone.
Female hair loss is not as well understood as male hair loss but is thought to be caused by the actions of two enzymes – aromatase (which is found predominantly in women) and 5-alpha reductase (which is found in both women and men). The action of 5-a reductase is the main cause of androgenetic alopecia in men, as this enzyme converts the hormone testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is responsible for the shrinking and gradual disappearance of affected hair follicles. Finasteride works by inhibiting the formation of the DHT hormone which is known to cause male hair loss.
Women have half the amount of 5-alpha reductase compared to men, but have higher levels of the enzyme aromatase, especially at their frontal hairline. Aromatase is responsible for the formation of the female hormones estrone and estradiol. It also decreases the formation of DHT. Its presence in women may help to explain why the presentation of female hair loss is so different than in males, particularly with respect to the preservation of the frontal hairline. It may also explain why women have a poor response to finasteride compared to men.
Nevertheless, the study has prompted the need for further investigation into the use of finasteride as a hair loss treatment for women. Perhaps there will come a time when science discovers a perfectly safe recipe for women but until then there are still various treatment options. At the Belgravia Centre, women experiencing female pattern hair loss see great results with specifically tailored treatment programmes.
What make the Belgravia Centre stand out from the crowd are the added ingredients its in-house pharmacy use as a substitute for Propecia to enhance the properties of Minoxidil. Medroxyprogesterone (MPG) is found in our Minoxidil 4 and 5% solutions and this helps to prevent DHT from interfering with the function of the hair follicles, complementing Minoxidil’s reaction with the follicles, and adding to the response that is achieved. When these ingredients are added, the Minoxidil becomes a prescription only treatment but in many cases Minoxidil will be provided without MPG. The Minoxidil 12.5% cream, exclusive to the Belgravia Centre, contains azelaic acid which works by inhibiting the 5-alpha reductase enzyme from the areas in which it is absorbed, thus helping to prevent testosterone converting to DHT.
Also available, and usually advised for use by women in order to maximise regrowth results, are various hair growth boosters. The HairMax LaserComb is a proven, FDA cleared hand-held low-power laser device and Hair Vitalics is Belgravia’s daily hair growth natural supplement.
Hair loss can be a devastating experience and really affect a person’s confidence and self-esteem. The Belgravia Centre is an empathetic and professional hair loss clinic which offers free consultations to give concerned individuals answers to some hard questions as well as hope. Contact the centre on 020 7730 6666 to arrange a free consultation or message the centre. Alternatively, you could take advantage of our mail-order hair loss treatment course anywhere in the world. Simply fill in an online diagnostic form and a trichologist from the centre will examine your form, followed by contact from one of Belgravia expert treatment advisors.
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This entry was posted on Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 2:25 pm and is filed under Female Hair Loss, Hair Loss, Hair Loss News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.